Page 261 - For Men of Understanding

This is the reality, because the world is created only to test man. All through
our limited lives, we are tested with perceptions whose original sources we can
never reach, which are intentionally presented as appealing and attractive. This
fact is mentioned in the Qur'an:
Fair in the eyes of men is the love of things they covet: Women and
sons; Heaped-up hoards of gold and silver; horses branded [for blood
and excellence]; and [wealth of] cattle and well-tilled land. Such are
the possessions of this world's life; but in nearness to Allah is the
best of the goals (to return to). (Surah Al 'Imran: 14)
Most people cast away religion for the lure of property, heaped-up wealth,
hoards of gold and silver, jewels, bank accounts, credit cards, designer clothes,
late-model cars-in short, all the forms of prosperity they either possess or strive
to. They concentrate on this world only, forgetting the Hereafter. They are
deceived by the fair and alluring face of the world, and fail to keep up prayer,
give charity to the poor, and perform worship that will make them prosper in
the Hereafter. They make excuses, saying, "I have things to do," "I have ideals,"
"I have responsibilities," "I haven't enough time," "I have tasks to complete," "I
will do them in the future." They devote their entire lives to trying to prosper
in this world only. In the verse, "They know but the outer (things) in the
life of this world: but of the End of things they are heedless." (Surat ar-
Rum: 7), this misconception is described.
The reality dealt with in this chapter is very important, for it renders mean-
ingless all lusts and boundaries. Verifying this fact makes it clear that everything
people toil to possess, their wealth amassed with greed, their children they
boast of, their spouses they consider to be closest to them, their dearest friends,
their bodies, their superior rank which they hold, the schools they have attend-
ed, the holidays they celebrate-all are nothing but mere shadows. Therefore, all
the efforts they expended and the time they spent proves unavailing.
Some people unwittingly make fools of themselves when they boast of their

wealth and properties, or of their yachts, helicopters, factories, holdings,
manors and lands as if they can ever have direct contact with their original pos-
sessions. Those well-to-do who cruise ostentatiously up and down in their
yachts, show off with their cars, keep hinting at their wealth, suppose that they
rank higher than everyone else. In what kind of state would they find them-
selves, once they realize that they are boasting of nothing but images in their
own minds?
In many of their dreams, they in fact find themselves possessed of grand
houses, fast cars, precious jewels, rolls of banknotes, and loads of gold and sil-
ver. In their dreams, too, they enjoy a high rank, own factories with thousands

Matter and the External World 259